Electrical-insulation composition and method of preparing the same.



UNITED STATES P JONAS W. AYLSWORTH, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T'O- CONDENSITE COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL-INSULATION COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom, it may comer-n:

Be it known that l, JoNAs WV. AYLswoR'rH,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident -of 'East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Electrical-Insulation Composition and iMethod of Preparing the Same, of which tliefollowing is a description.

Inmy application entitled Plastic composition and method of preparing the same, Serial No, 500,001, filed November 4:, 1910,

I describe and claim an improved product comprising a powdered infusible phenolic condensation product incorporated with vulcanized india rubber or gut-ta percha, the condensation product particles being intimately cemented together in the rubber by a tenacious elastic bond.- Thereby is produced a novel composition which is exceedingly useful in many'applications in which hard or soft rubber are commonly used.

My present application relates toa com-- position of the same general character, and

to methods for )roducin the same the composition being formed 1n such a manner as to render it especially valuable for purposesi of electrical insulation.

It comprises an initially plastic mass which will become non-plastic by heating to from 300 to 300 degrees F., this composition having special qualities which render it an efiicient electrical insulator which may be used in some situations in which .the Well known insulators may not be successfully used. My improved insulating composition is, for example, particularly applicable for use in alkaline and acid storage and primary batteries where the insulation is exposed to damage from the electrolyte used, and where the electrolyte is exposed to contamination from the insulation. For such purposes the purest grades of hard rubber and porcelain ;or glass have heretofore been used, but the purities, which liability is present unless this substance is specially prepared, are its objection ahle features. The liability of glass and porcelain to become broken and their contaminating effects render them of limited use as insulating substances in alkaline batteries. Condensation products of'phenol and formaldehyde which are now well known in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 7, 191a.

Application filed November 4, 1910. Serial No. 590,599.

the art are to a large extent resistant to acid electrolytes, and to dilute alkaline electrocontaminate the electrolyte. I refer espe cially to the products formed by other inventors than myself, in which no especial provision is made for causing substantially all of the phenol and formaldehyde or other methylene-containing ingredient to enter into chemical combination, as is disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 496,060, filed May 14, 1909, Plastic composition and process of manufacturing the same, and Patent No. 1,020,593, granted March 19, 1912, Phenolic condensation product and method of preparing the same.

My improved insulating composition now to be described comprises a plastic mass made from a specially prepared powder or comfninuted hard infusible chemically inert condensation product of a phenolic body and formaldehyde, or equivalent agent containing'the methylene radical CH incorporated with pure high grade rubber and sulfur in proportion to suit special requirements of flexibility and vulcanized at such a temperature that all the sulfur is chemically fixed or combined with the rubber, the mass also preferably being further purified of objectionable impurities.

The powdered or comminuted infusible condensation product which I incorporate with the rubber mass to form the insulating compound as above stated, is preferably formed as follows :--The fusible phenolic condensation product which is described in my application and patent above referred to, and also in my Patent No. 1,029,737,entitled Fusible phenol resins and method of forming same, granted June 18, 1912, and there termed phenol resin is prepared by combining pure phenol or homologue thereof with formaldehyde in the proportion of three'molecules of phenol to, two molecules of formaldehyde, the reaction being caused to take place in a special vessel under pressure. When the reaction is completed, the Water formed th er eby is allowed to escape, and superheated steam is passed through the mass until the distillate shows only traces of phenol or homologue thereof. The product the last traces of water and is then run into a suitable iron or copper vessel which is provided with a steam jacket and a stirring or mixing device. The mixer shoutd be adaptedto be lifted out of the mass at the criticalmoment before hardening of the 'same takes place. The molded mass is allowed to cool ,to'a temperature of about 230 degrees F.,

and 6 to 7 per cent. of dry owdered hexamethylene-tetra-amin (CHSGN, is added and rapidly stirred in. In a few minutes the hexa-methylene-tetra-amin dissolves in the mass, whenthe stirring device is removed and the vessel covered and connected to the ammonia absorbing apparatus. Steam is then turned into the jacket of the vesseland the mass is rapidly heated to 300 degrees F., whereby the. final hardening reaction bel tween the ingredients takes place violently,

and quantities of ammonia NH are evolved, which causes the hardening mass to putt up like leavened bread into a hard porous mass which when cool may readily be broken up and pulverized. The porous mass is powdered and further heated to from 400 to 500 degrees F. fora time, which renders the product less liable to be affected by strong hot .alkalis. The powdered product is then treated with boiling 10% caustic potash or soda solution for several hours and washed free of the caustic potash or soda and dried. The product is now read for incorporation with the pure rubber an sulfur. The proportions preferred for battery insulation i may be soaked in .a hot 10% potassium or sodium hydrate solution to further purify L it from traces of' sulfurous products which would contaminate the electrolyte. Insula tors thus made are mechanically strong, re'-' 'sist abrasion, and the electrolytes are not contaminated .therewith. Also, they can have a high degree of flexibility and. toughness when desired.

It should be understood that my proved process is not strictly limited to the I exact steps and proportions of ingredients 'my mvention is as broad as is indicated by 'densation product in granular form, subdescribed, the process specifically described.

being that which is preferable to obtainthe best results. It is obvious that good results maybe obtained, even thou'gh'certain of the purifying processes are omitted, and that the appended claims. c

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows 1. The process of forming an electrical insulating material which consists in remov ing water and uncombined phenol from a fusible phenolresin in which all the methylene-containing element is combined with phenol, dissolving hexa methylene -tetra-. amin in the mass which is maintained in molten condition, causing a hardening reaction to ensue with evolution of ammonia gas,-

cooling and pulverizing, further heatin to 7 5 boiling caustic solution, washing, drying, -infrom .420 to 500 degrees F., treating wit a corporating with caoutchouc and a vulcanizing agent, vulcanizing and soaking in a hot caustic solution, substantially as described.

2. The process of forming an electrical insulating material, which consists in forming an infusible phenolic condensationprodnot free from uncombined phenol, ulverizing the same, treating with a'hot caustic solution, washing free of the caustic, incorporating with an elastic gum and a vulcanizing agent, vulcanizi'ng, andfurther treating to remove traces of the vulcanizing agent. and products. thereof uncombined with the m .and condensation product, substantially" as described. I i

3.. An insulatingcompound whichis resistant to strong caustic alkaline solutions, comprising an infusible hard phenolic'con stantially free from phenol, water, ammonia, gaseous products, and other impurities, and incorporated in, and bound together in "a tough cohesive mass by, purified vulcanized. rubber, substantially as de-- 100.

scribed. .1

This as ecification signed and witnessed this 1st ay of November1910.

Jonas-w. AYLSWORTH.

' .DYER' SMITH, 1 Anna Khulna.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,092,511, granted April 7 1914,

upon the application of Jonas W. Aylsworth, of East Orange, New Jersey, for" enimprov'ernent in Ele et rical-Insulation Composition and Methods of Preparing the Same, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page2, line 75, for the; number 420" rea,d 400, and that the said Letters Patent shonld be read with this correction therein that the seine may conform to the reeord of the ease in the Petent O flice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, A. 1);, 1914.

[BEAM-.7]; J. 'r. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

